A Rainy Day in Paris

Following on from our pics at Disney are these ones around Paris. We visited Disney on the Friday and then left Saturday free to travel into Paris and have a look around. It was a particularly cold day with the wind blowing, but it started out sunny, and our interpretation of the French weather forecast left us thinking that would be it. We got out and saw Notre Dame Cathedral and a few of the streets on the south side of the Seine before heading off for an early lunch in a cafe near The Louvre.

Unfortunately, our interpreting skills need improving (either that or the boys down at the French Weather Bureau got it badly wrong) because as we emerged from the cafe it was raining steadily, and kept on so for the remainder of the afternoon. We tried to stick to undercover footpaths and walkways, but this can be challenging. At least you may get a laugh at our waning smiles as these pics progress. For future reference, "pluie" is French for "rain".


It was cold but sunny at 10am outside an important looking Parisian building.


It was still cold and (somewhat) sunny outside Notre Dame a short time later.


The stained glass windows in Notre Dame are even more impressive than those at Cinderella's Castle in Disneyland.


More from inside Notre Dame.


Another from inside the Cathedral... the bright light you can see is an incoming bolt of lightning, probably sent by God, to warn off photographers from using flash cameras whilst the priest is saying Mass.


More action from outside Notre Dame - it's looking a touch greyer than earlier.


You may have noticed that Keezee is missing his trendy brown cap that he was wearing at Disney - it was lost on the train and was sorely missed.


Your typical "Boat on The Seine" tourist picture.


There were so many lovely Parisian-looking buildings everywhere, we had to get a few photos of them.


And here we are now shortly after lunch, admiring the golden statue of Joan of Arc, outside the Hotel Regina on Place des Pyramides - note, rain.


This is about as close as we got to the Eiffel Tower in the end. Lucy's still loving it, whilst Keezee is trying to put on a happy face.


Our spirits were lifted slightly when we stumbled upon a bunch of market stalls selling mulled wine (for the adults) and fudge (for the kids). Caiti even decided to make an appearance when the fudge came out.


And it was nice of them to provide some warm fires to drink your wine beside.


And here we are on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées still smiling.


We made it all the way up the hill to the Arc de Triomphe, but by now we were rather cold and rather wet, and it was getting harder to raise a smile - Caiti had the right idea.


The obligatory street sign shot just to prove/recall where we were.


A warm, dry, well-lit and expensive Parisian cafe.


This is the lovely Christmas tree at Val d'Europe shopping centre.


Val d'Europe had a really cool toy shop that included an animatronic pony that responds to kids and even pretends to eat pretend carrots.


Giant escargot anyone?